Air control mechanism for pneumatic sheet separators



T. A. RIBICH Fan, 12, 1954 UMIATIC SHEET SEPARATORS AIR CONTROL MECHANISM FOR PNE 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed. Sept. 6, 1950 IN VEN TOR. M 4 M44 Jan, 12, 1954 r. A. RIBECH 2,665,997

AIR CONTROL MECHANISM FOR PNEUMATIC SHEET SEPARATORS Filed Sept. 6, 1950 "4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Y Y INVENTOR.

Jan. 12, 1954 lc 2,665,907,

AIR CONTROL MECHANISM FOR PNEUMATIC SHEET SEPARATORS Filed Sept. 6, 1950 4 sheets shet 3 INVENTOR. W ,4 M

Jan. 12, 1954 T. A. RJBICH 2x16659 AIR CONTROL MECHANISM FOR PNEUMATIC SHEET SEPARATORS Filed Sept. 6, 1950 4 Sheets-PSheet 4 INVENTOR. 744, x M BY V {I .1 /M W the conveyor l again steps the stack of papers into the separator. The conveyor H moves continuously to carry the individual sheets of paper away from the paper separator as the individual sheets of paper have been removed from the top of the stack. The embodiment of the invention illustrated employs a suction wheel l2 for attracting the stop sheet from a stack of paper as that sheet is lifted by an air blast, and to move that sheet forward 011 the stack. Also, an air blast device I3 is provided in a position to blow air into the edge of the stack and between the sheets of paper to separate the top sheet from the other sheets in the stack. As is illustrated in Figures 1, 2 and 4 of the drawings, the air blast device I3 is in the form of tubes, also identified by the number l3, having nozzles at the upper end thereof directing the air generally towards the suction wheel and into the forward edge of the stack of papers. The air suction -wheel |2 is of standard design found in paper separating devices and is rotating when it engages the top sheet of paper to push that sheet of paper in a forward direction. In Figure 1 of the drawings, the suction wheel l2 moves the sheet of paper from right to left over top of the air blast nozzles of the air blast device l3 and onto the conveyor ll.

As is best illustrated in Figures 4 and 5, of the drawings, a two sheet detector I4 is located between the suction wheel l2 and the conveyor to stop the paper separating device if more than one sheet of paper is moved on to the conveyor H at a time. The suction wheel l2 and the air blast device l3 may be connected through suitable valves to an air pump P illustrated diagrammatically in Figure 1 of the drawings. The suction wheel I2 is connected to the intake of the pump and the air blast tubes |3 are connected to the outgoing side of the pump. Between the air pump P and the suction wheel I! is a suction valve l5 and between the air blast tubes l3 and the pump P is a by-pass valve Hi. The by-pass valve I6 is operated by a solenoid controlled by micro-switches l8 and |9 which are aligned to be operated by the suction valve l5.

The suction valve l5 comprises a hollow housing 2| having suction ports 22 and 23 in one wall "thereof opening to atmosphere. A first plate 24 pivotally mounted on the housing 2| normally closes the suction port 22 while the separator is operating and a similar second plate 25 is pivotally mounted on the housing 2| to cover the suction port 23 while the machine is operating. A .fiexible tube 26 interconnects the hollow housing 2| of the suction valve l5 and the suction wheel 12. A tube connection 21 connects the h-sl low housing 2| to the suction pump P, or other suitable device which will provide a suction through the valve l5 and the suction wheel l2. The amount of suction in the suction wheel l2 may be closely regulated by a bleeder 28 mounted on the suction valve l5 to permit entry of air therein to control the amount of suction desired in the suction wheel |2. When either of the plates 24 or 25 are moved from the suction ports of the switch i8 and close pass valve I6 is also provided with an exhaust port 33 which is directed away from the suction wheel i2 to direct a stream of air away from the forward edge of the stack of papers, which for-- ward edge is close to the suction wheel l2.

In operation, air enters the by-pass valve H from the air pump P through the tube 31, passes through the cylinder 30 and either into the air blast tubes |3 or out through the exhaust 3G. The solenoid controls the position of the piston 3| in the valve l6 whereby the valve simul taneously controls the air blast means and the by-pass means and permits air to enter a desired one only of these means.

In Figure l of the drawings, the valve I6 is illustrated with the piston down and the solenoid non-energized. Thus the valve I6 is illustrated as directing air into the air blast tubes [3 by means of the opening of a path between ports 32 and 34 in the valve. The exhaust port 35 exhausts the air blast when the valve is positioned with the piston 3| pulled up from the position shown in Figure 1 by the solenoid H to prevent the air going through the air blast tubes l3, and to provide a path between the port 33 and the exhaust 36. In this manner, a continuous pumping air pump may be used for the pump P to provide a continuous supply of air to the by-pass valve It. A bleeder |38 may be fastened to the by-pass valve "5 to regulate the pressure of the air going from the pump into the valve H5 and further into either the air blast tube i3 or the exhaust port 36.

As was previously stated, the piston 3| is controlled by the solenoid H which in turn is controlled by the switches IB and I9. In this particular instance, the piston 3| is co-axially aligned with the armature 40 of the solenoid and extends from the end of the armature. The solenoid has been positioned directly over the cylinder 30 whereby the weight of the armature and the piston 3| cause the piston to drop down. thus providing the opening or path between the port 32 and the exit port 34 so that the air blast will be directed through the tubes l3 and in the general direction of the suction wheel |2 into the forward edge of the stack of papers on conveyor l0. Upon energization of the solenoid I! by either of the micro-switches H3 or I9, the armature 40 is raised, thus raising the piston 3|, thereby closing ports 32 and 34 and opening port 33 to form a path between port 33 and the exhaust 36 to by-pass air through the exhaust port 36 to atmosphere in a region remote from the region or the suction wheel l2 and the forward edge of the papers on conveyor I0.

The switches I8 and I9 are electrically connected in parallel whereby closing of either switch will cause energization of the solenoid H to effect by-passing of the air from the tubes 13 through the exhaust port 36.

In the drawings, the wires electrically connecting the switches l8 and I3 with the solenoid H are identified by the reference characters 38 and 39. These switches 18 and H! are preferably of the micro-switch type and it is understood that when referring to a micro-switch, any switch which may be used in the place of a micro-switch is also within the scope of the invention,

The switch I6 is aligned with the plate 24 on the suction valve l5 so that pivotal movement of the plate 24 to uncover the suction port 22 causes the plate 24 to engage the operating switch arm the switch l8 to energize the solenoid 11. Similarly, the plate 25 enthan a single sheet of paperpasses therebe'tween.

Adjustment'of the feeler 6| is provided by a spring 62 andan adjustment screw 65. The spring tends to-urge the end of the support 60 in ,one direction, and the screw forces the support detection, and conversely-rotating the screw to raise the. end of the support 60 will allow the spring 62 to rotate and lower the cam feeler 6| for detection of thinner paper sections passing overthe roll 46. When more than a single sheet of paper passes between the cam feeler 6i and the driven'roll 46. the cam feeler :fil is partially rotated and operates the switch 58. As soon as the switch 58 is operated, the solenoid 51 is energized to unlock or move the locking lever from cam 50 to permit pivotal and forward movement of the follower wheel device 45.

It is thus seen that the presentdevice not only electro-mechanically interconnects the two sheet detector 14 to the suction valve and the bypass .valve 16, but also provides means for catching the pluralityof sheets of paper removed from the top of the stack to prevent them simultaneously moving on to conveyor I l as a group. These sheets of paper may be removed by hand and run through the separator again so that they will be separated. As soon as the two sheet detector detects a thickness of more than one sheet of paper being .removed from the top of the stack, it catches those papers, and causes the opening of the suction valve IE to remove suction from the wheel [2, The air blast or bypass valve 16 is thereby operated and by-passes the air blast from the tubes l3 through the exhaust ,36 as hereinbefo-re described.

-After the plurality of papers have been removed from between the follower wheel 48 and the conveyor table 5 2, the suction may be returned to the suction wheel l2 and the air returned to the air blast tubeslt by manually resetting the pivot shaft 47. The pivot shaft 41 is easily returned to its running position wherein the pivot plate 24 covers the suction port 22 and the locking lever 5| looks into cam 50 by moving a small handle 63. In Figure 1 of the drawings, the component parts of the two sheet deteca tor, the knee-action follower wheel device and the valves are illustrated in operating position with a stack of papers positioned on the conveyor H so that the top sheet thereof may be moved from the conveyor ill on to the conveyor H. Y I i An elongated manually and longitudinal handle B4 fastened to cover plate 25 provides manual control of the suction valve 15 and therethrough the air blast by-pass valve [6. By providing means for by-passing or redirecting the air blast when the suction is not on the suction wheel, paperson the conveyortable it) do not become mutilated and disarranged. v This control, both manual and automatic, of the air blast on the forward edge of the stack of papers has greatly increased the efliciency of the machine as well as greatly reducing the shut down time of themachine.

Although this invention has been described in its preferred form with a certain degree of particularity, it is understood that the present disclosureof the preferred form, has been made only by way of example and that numerous changes in the details of construction and the combination and arrangement of parts may be resorted to without departing from the spirit and the scope of the invention as hereinafter claimed.

What is claimed is:

l. A paper-feeding machine having control mechanism to provide both automatic and manual means to stop the feeding operation of the machine without stopping the mechanical movement thereof comprising, bulk delivery means to hold a stack of paper, a rotatable suction wheel mounted with the periphery of the wheel a distancelabove the saidstack of paper and out of contact therewith, an air nozzle directed toward the edge of the stack of paper, whereby an air blast delivered therethrough will lift paper from a stack and push it upwardly against said suction wheel, air pump means providing a flow of air to said air nozzle, first by pass valve means between said air pump means and said nozzle, said by-pass valve means having a first position directing air from said pump means to said nozzle and a second position directing air from said pump means to atmosphere to thereby inactivate said air nozzle, vacuum pump means drawing a low pressure upon said vacuum wheel, second bypass valve means between said vacuum pump means and said vacuum wheel, said second bypass valve having a first and second port openable to atmosphere for breaking the vacuum on the vacuum wheel, automatic detector means for determining the presence of more than one sheet of paper advanced together by the suction wheel, control means responsive to said detector means operating to open said first port of the second bypass valve upon detection of excess feed to thereby break the vacuum on the vacuum wheel and prevent further feed, manual control means for the second port of the second by-pass valve to stop the feed at any desired time, lost motion means responsive to operation of both the control means and the manual control means, said lost motion means operating said first by-pass valve from said first position to said second position after a time lapse from the break of the vacuum, said lost motion means providing operation of said first by-pass valve from said second position to said first position without closing of said ports of the second by-pass valve means.

2. A paper-feeding machine comprising, a paper advancing mechanism having a sub-atmosphere pressure system of attracting paper thereto, a vacuum line leading to said paper advancing mechanism, a control valve in said vacuum line, said control valve having a first and second port opening to atmosphere, first and second cover means to. close each said port, manual means to remove said second cover means from said second port and break the vacuum in said vacuum line, a multiple feed detector to determine the advancing of excessive paper by said paper advancing mechanism, control means responsive to said detector to remove said first cover means from said first port and break the vacuum in said vacuum line, an air nozzle directed toward said paper advancing means in a direction transverse to the position to be occupied by a stack of paper positioned for feeding by said advancing means, air supply means feeding air under pressure through an air line to said air nozzle, a valve in said air line to stop the flow of air, electrical power drive means to actuate said air line valve, and switch means to energize said electrical power drive means, said switch means positioned to be actuated by cover means of either said first or second port as said cover means is removed to break the vacuum to said paper advancing mechanism, whereby the vacuum and air blast are broken in sequence upon detection of excess feed.

3. A paper-feeding machine comprising, a paper advancing mechanism having a sub-atmosphere pressure system of attracting paper thereto, a vacuum line leading to said paper advancing mechanism, a control valve in said vacuum line, said control valve having a first and second port opening to atmosphere, first and second cover means to close each said port, manual means to remove said second cover means from said second port and break the vacuum in said vacuum line, a multiple-feed detector to determine the advancing of excessive paper by said paper advancing mechanism, a micro-switch positioned to be actuated by said detector, electrical power drive means controlled by said micro-switch to remove said first cover means from said first port and break the vacuum in said vacuum line, an air nozzled irected toward said paper advancing means in a direction transverse to the position to be occupied by a stack of paper positioned for feeding by said advancing means, air supply means feeding air under pressure through an air line to said air nozzle, a valve in said air line to stop the fiow of air, electrical power drive means to actuate said air line valve, and switch means to energize said electrical power drive means, said switch means positioned to be actuated by the cover means of either said first or second port as said cover means is removed to break the vacuum to said paper advancing mechanism, whereby the vacuum and air blast are broken in sequence upon detection of excess feed.

THOMAS A. RIBICH.

Reierenoes Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,254,666 Ekvall Jan. 29, 1918 1,502,663 Frohn July 29, 1924 1,618,632 Belluche Feb. 22, 1927 1,675,246 Broadmeyer June 26, 1928 1,689,878 Kelly Oct. 30, 1928 1,731,633 McElroy Oct. 15, 1929 1,773,266 Hallstream Aug. 19, 1930 1,801,181 Thayer Apr. 14, 1931 2,342,190 Gollwitzer Feb. 22, 1944 

